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About the Book

It’s no secret that the millennial generation’s prospects are lower than their parents’—but this is not an inevitable “new normal,” as we’ve been led to believe. Instead, in a new book, Disinherited: How Washington is Betraying America’s Young (Encounter Books; May 12, 2015), Diana Furchtgott-Roth and Jared Meyer reveal that the millennials’ plight is the result of a generational war taking place in Washington, one in which government policies are systematically stacked against young Americans to bolster their elders.

Furchtgott-Roth and Meyer argue that “this is the first generation of young Americans that our government systematically disfavors and the first generation of Americans whose prospects are lower than those of their parents.”

Furchtgott-Roth and Meyer tell the personal stories of young people Washington has left behind and indicts the policies that are holding them back such as:

Expanding entitlement benefits that support older Americans at the expense of younger Americans

Tenure laws that favor older, often ill-qualified teachers at the expense of quality education

Shuffling of students into four-year colleges regardless of their aptitude, resulting in students drowning in debt with very few job prospects

Minimum wage laws that make it difficult for young and low-skilled workers to acquire valuable work experience

Disinherited is a timely book and a warning call to all Americans—young and old—because a country that betrays its young will never fully prosper.

About the Author

Diana Furchtgott-Roth, former chief economist of the U.S. Department of Labor, is director of Economics21 and senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research. She is a columnist for MarketWatch.com, and Tax Notes.

Jared Meyer, is a fellow at the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research. His research interests include microeconomic theory and the economic effects of government regulations. Meyer is a regular contributor to Economics21, The Washington Examiner, RealClearEnergy.org, and City Journal.

Praise

“This is the book you absolutely need to read if you are a millennial or if you care about one! Arm yourself with the numbers Washington would rather you didn’t focus on.”
— The Honorable Elaine L. Chao, 24th U.S. Secretary of Labor (2001-2009)

“The Boomers inherited a world of possibility; they are about to bequeath a mountain of debt. But the future should belong to the young, and Furchtgott-Roth and Meyer show it’s not too late to change course.”
— Blake Masters, Co-author with Peter Thiel of Zero To One (2014), #1 New York Times Bestseller

“In so many ways, public policy is tilted against the young, yet the power is held by those much older. Furchtgott-Roth and Meyer apply a keen eye and a great way with words to showing how in great detail this has got to change. If this book doesn’t make the younger generation mad, I don’t know what else will.”
— Robert Litan, Non-resident Senior Fellow, The Brookings Institution, Author of Trillion Dollar Economists (2014)

“America’s youngest generation is facing unprecedented, multi-faceted challenges. In their new book Furchtgott-Roth and Meyer expose the role an overbearing federal government has played in derailing the future of our children. We need to fix this national scandal. Thank you, Diana and Jared.”
— Jim Blasingame, Author of The Age Of The Customer, Host of the radio program The Small Business Advocate

“The millennials are on their way toward becoming the first generation to achieve a lower standard of living than their parents—and that is not happening by accident. It is instead, as Furchtgott-Roth and Meyer show, a matter of making choices—a matter of poor policy choices and opportunities missed.”
— Kevin Williamson, Roving Correspondent, National Review, Author of The End Is Near and It’s Going To Be Awesome (2013)

“Politicians talk endlessly about the benefits of their programs and regulations they impose on us. This book shows some of the so-called ‘unintended consequences’ that especially hurt young people. Its message should be read and remembered by voters everywhere.”
— Allan H. Meltzer, Allan Meltzer University Professor of Political Economy, Carnegie Mellon University